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Required Intellichlor IC40 Entry & Exit Pipes

Hello All,

I’m replacing my 20 year old equipment and have settled on a complete Pentair setup after a lot of reading here at TFP. I really liked the Autopilot system and it's great features, but in the end I decided the simplicity of a single controller works best for my needs (I'm going with the Intellitouch i7).

So here is my question, I’m going with a Pentair Intellichlor IC40 SWG plumbed in after a Pentair MasterTemp 400HD Heater. Now the Intellichlor instructions (and my three calls to the factory) confirm you have to have the IC40 3 feet from the heater outlet. Then they require 12"-18" straight pipe run before the IC40 and then about 12" straight after the IC40.

I looked at the alternate installation suggestion, a Bypass Loop, for when flow is over 80 GPM, as the diagram shows a small loop. However, I spoke with the factory and they confirmed the diagram is misleading and the Bypass Loop style install still requires the same 12"-18" straight pipe runs. I’m going with the Intelliflo VS so I can keep the flow below 80 GPM If I need to.

So using their required dimensions, my design shows I need almost 9 feet of pad space. That's almost 3 feet for the length of the heater, 18" to cover the required 3 feet out of the heater for the lead in pipe to the SWG (this is comprised of 18" out of the heater and then a 18" vertical upright, which includes the required check valve.) This puts the length so far at about 4 1/2'. Next comes the required 18" straight lead in pipe to the SWG, 16" for the SWG itself and then 12" lead out pipe and elbow, for an additional 4 1/2'. All of this totals to a required 9 feet of pad space (this includes a little extra for fittings).

After reading many posts here I understand the importance of minimizing head loss by a good plumbing design. If I really need to go this way I will, but I just wanted to get others opinions and recommendations about the required pipe lengths before and after the Intellichlor unit or any other comments are welcome?

Re: Required Intellichlor IC40 Entry & Exit Pipes

This is a case where many of the things they say in the manual are recommendations, not requirements. If you have elbows just before and just after the cell everything will most likely still work. In fact, many setups are done that way, regardless of what it says in the manual. Depending on details of your setup you probably won't have any problems at all, and if you do have something come up because there isn't enough straight pipe it will be very minor.

If you do want to be "ideal", there are other ways of plumbing things so they don't take as much space. If you set things up correctly the 3' coming out of the heater can overlap with the 18" of straight pipe before the cell. Just put the 18" vertical right next to the heater, then 18" horizontal, then the cell, then 12" horizontal. Likewise, you don't need to have everything in a row like that. It is possible to turn the heater, so the straight pipe runs parallel to the heater, though the details depend on your pad layout.

Plumbing is an art. Very very few equipment pads are done perfectly. When you see one that gets everything right it is breathtaking, like a piece of fine art. If you fail to live up to that ideal, it isn't a big deal. Truly great plumbers are rare.

Re: Required Intellichlor IC40 Entry & Exit Pipes

Here's a tip, just in case you don't know or if the diagram/instructions from Pentair does not make mention of it: Plumb the cell after the spa bypass. If you plumb it ahead of the bypass, when the cell reverses polarity and kicks off the calcium, the amount that goes in the spa will settle on your floor and benches and will be difficult to remove. If you plumb it after the bypass, the calcium will go into the pool and your pool cleaner will pick it up.

The IC is a great unit. Keep your pH lower and watch your CH levels so it can do its job

Re: Required Intellichlor IC40 Entry & Exit Pipes

The reason for the straight runs is the cell works most efficiently with laminar flow through the unit, turbulent flow will make the cell less efficient. That being said the worst thing you can do in any plumbing installation that causes turbulent flow is install short elbow 90's, they restrict flow rates excessively...but are compact. The best way to turn water 90 degrees is with a 90 degree sweep ELL or long radius elbow (they are referred to with both designations in literature). They are expensive and difficult to find but they turn water with nearly zero turbulent flow hence why they are used extensively in the food and beverage industry and in aquarium designs.

In general their use does not create any turbulent flow in the sizes which is common in pools, there is a slight calculation for the smaller sizes which you can ignore. Therefore you could count the pitch line distance of a sweep elbow as a length of straight pipe which would shorten your cell mounting distance considerably.

4JawChuck , I've read a lot of information that says going to Sweep 90s will help improve your flow and reduce your head. While looking for a brand that I could get technical drawings on, so I can put the dimensions into Visio, I called Lasco Fittings and got some surprising information. They told me they don't make sweep fittings as their modeling showed the water started tumbling, unless you had really long sweeps (now this may just have been a marketing excuse since they don't make sweep 90s).
Does this sound correct, you mentioned "In general their use does not create any turbulent flow in the sizes which is common in pools, there is a slight calculation for the smaller sizes which you can ignore."
I'm going with either 2" or 2 1/2", do you think they were referring to larger diameter sizes?

Re: Required Intellichlor IC40 Entry & Exit Pipes

First of all water is tumbling all the time in a pipe unless you use screens or plates to straighten the flow...which lasts about 3 pipe diameters after the laminar creating device. The main reason why sweep or long radius elbows are used in bottling and dispensing equipment is the turbulent restriction created by outgassing when the reynolds number of the fluid is exceeded in a short elbow...in other words the CO2 gas in your carbonated drink comes out of suspension and forms an air lock especially at high velocities at low pressures. Hence most dispensing equipment is done with long runs of flexible tubing but in a plant they would use long radius elbows in rigid pipe to accomplish the same thing. Forget the salemen talk about elbows for things they don't sell, if there is one thing I have learned is never trust a saleman.

I stand by what I have said, for a pool...assume the long radius elbow is a length of straight pipe and you can use short pieces of straight pipe to make your connections. From your drawing I would shorten those 1'6" pieces to 6" (3 pipe diamters at 2" pipe diameter). That saves you a minimum of 2'...of course you could accomplish the same effect with flexible hose but some people have issues with using flexible hose. My flexible hose connections last as long as the pipe and my current installation is 20 years old and looks fine, I think a lot of people have issues when they aren't prepped properly, minimum curvatures aren't followed, they aren't supported properly or allowed to cure for a long enough time before pressure is put to them which causes problems down the road. PVC Flexible hoses perform an important function and if installed with flanges are easily replaced...don't get me wrong I like rigid pipe installations but without something flexible that stress is going somewhere and I would rather deal with a rip or pinhole leak than a catastrophically/cracked burst pipe.

Up here in freeze country you would not find an install without flexible lines in the system to handle the freeze and thaw cycle in the winter, a complete rigid install might work in Florida but I would think a quality install with PVC flexible hose with flanged joints in the system would be safer and easier on those rigid connections at the filter, pump and heater interfaces. The biggest downside to flexible spiral PVC hose is the increased fluid friction with causes backpressure, thats why you keep them short or use a larger diameter...there is a large stagnant flow along the wall boundary with flexible pipe.

Re: Required Intellichlor IC40 Entry & Exit Pipes

4JawChuck, your suggestions are generally good, but they make so little difference that they are mostly just a waste of time for a residential pool. Most in ground pools are all rigid pipe and the great majority never have any problems even in extremely cold winters. You have to remove all of the water from the plumbing to winterize anyway, so there is no need for flex segments to absorb ice expansion. Likewise, most 90s are the standard short 90s and there are almost never any problems with them. There are all kinds of optimizations you can do, but they aren't really worth it unless you are into that kind of thing as a hobby.